1996 Ford Explorer vs 1996 Nissan Pathfinder
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Sep 23, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1996 Ford Explorer | 1996 Nissan Pathfinder |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 1,450 | 159 |
| Recall campaigns | 2 | 1 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 238 | 87 |
| Investigations | 3 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 198 | 20 |
| Fire reports | 37 | 0 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 14–18 | 15–16 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 121,881 mi | 123,183 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Explorer | Nissan Pathfinder |
|---|---|---|
| Tires | 570 | 13 |
| Suspension | 97 | 64 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 148 | 5 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 120 | 14 |
| Power Train | 120 | 12 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 81 | 14 |
| Seat Belts | 78 | 6 |
| Structure | 63 | 11 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Vibration / shaking | 60 | 26 |
| Stalling | 35 | 6 |
| Brake problems | 17 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 15 | 12 |
| Check engine light | 14 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 12 | 0 |
| Electrical failures | 9 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 8 | 0 |
1996 Ford Explorer
1996 Nissan Pathfinder
Compare all Ford Explorer vs Nissan Pathfinder years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.